To calculate the tax

[Guest]

Test No. incompl/advan-21 "Money Matters (4)", question 8

Under the new regulations you can agree yourself to ......... the tax you have to pay on the income over the previous year.

(a) figure
(b) calculate
(c) add
(d) amount

Test No. incompl/advan-21 "Money Matters (4)", answer 8

Under the new regulations you can agree yourself to calculate the tax you have to pay on the income over the previous year.

Correct answer: (b) calculate

Your answer was: incorrect
Under the new regulations you can agree yourself to figure the tax you have to pay on the income over the previous year.
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Is "calculate" always to use in terms of numbers like here the tax?

[Alan]

This means in the first place to work out the numbers or figures but you can also use it metaphorically as in: Calculate the risk involved in polar expeditions.
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Word Story: Jokes